Ice
by CMW2
Summary: After 1x20 Cameron shuts down and distances herself from a hurting House. Her heart has been encased in ice. Will it ever thaw?;Hameron angst fic;Rated for language and images;30th in my 2010 SSS Project and my 50th posted fic! Here's to at least 50 more!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: It's my 50****th**** story! I'm so proud to be able to say that and it's the halfway point to my ulitmate goal of 100. Of course, I won't stop writing after I hit it but still…yay! **

**After much deliberation (and reading some awesome early stuff), I have decided that this 50****th**** story will be the AU of the aftermath of the Date that I promised all those months ago. It's not going to be too long, maybe 5 chapters but they'll be pretty heavy. As always, House and Cameron will end up together in the end but I'm going to make it hard as hell.**

**I've always wondered what would've happened if Cameron had made a true (non Wombat related) effort to move on from him and I'm going to take that idea and run with it. Updates on Mosh Pit will resume soon (I'm stuck in my drafting) and I hope you guys enjoy this fic.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

_"**You live under the delusion that you can fix everything that isn't perfect. That's why you married a man who was dying of cancer. You don't love, you need. And now that your husband is dead, you're looking for your new charity case. That's why you're going out with me. I'm twice your age, I'm not great-looking, I'm not charming; I'm not even nice. What I am is what you need. I'm damaged…"**_

Those words had been meant to make her give up, to have her move on to someone better, healthier, younger. It was the sane thing to do and the most rational. After all, they'd _**never**_ work…

Still, Greg House hadn't expected her to actually do it. After all, if she was "in love" with him like everyone (and his heart) said she was, then she wouldn't have let all that vitriol stop her from chasing him. Hell, if she had just said something, anything in rebuttal that night, he would've finally let her catch him. Yet, Allison Cameron surprised him by not only taking over the Immunology department (the Head finally retired) instead of coming back to work with him, she had gone off and started _**Dating**_.

The men weren't from PPTH or any other hospital but they were still dates. Perfectly acceptable dates. He had "accidentally" run into her with one of them at the movies and she hadn't even broken a sweat in introducing the guy, Paul the Karate Instructor. It was like he didn't exist for her anymore. Oh sure, she'd come down for a consult and she'd banter a little with him but other than that, it was gone.

No more doe eyed looks, no more fussing, no more loaded conversations…it was over. She was over him and happier without him intruding in her life and weak little heart.

He hated it. He absolutely, fucking, _**hated**_ it! Of all people to give up on him, House had never expected her to. She was _**Cameron**_, damn it! She didn't give up on anyone, even when it was good for her…until now, until him. It hurt like a son of a bitch and it pissed him the fuck off that she had the power to do that.

Right now, he was watching as she filed patient charts in the Clinic, looking as painfully gorgeous as ever. She had let her hair grow down to her shoulders and she had thrown out the curling iron. It was a loose triumphant mane of cascading waves that his hands itched to bury themselves in. She had started eating more and exercising with more than that damned treadmill so she had filled out. Unlike Cuddy, her curves were more defined and subtle but still managed to strain against the little vests and cap sleeved tops she wore.

To add insult to injury, she had started wearing what could only be called fuck me heels. They were usually a bright color, standing out against the neutral tones she preferred, adding a zap of grown ass woman to her librarian look and a sultry sway to every little step she took.

All of it added up to a loud and clear daily (and nightly) taunt from karma: _**See what you could've had if you had just stopped being a cowardly idiot ass? All she wanted was for you to just attempt to love her and you couldn't even do that. You're a failure, a waste of space and unworthy of anyone's affection, especially hers.**_

The fact that the taunt came in the dulcet tones of his father, Stacy, and Wilson combined didn't help matters.

As she turned to head back to the Waiting Room of morons, their eyes met head on for the first time since the restaurant. Instead of the softness he had expected, frost went over the light blue orbs and she looked away before walking off, an obvious dismissal.

He'd never admit it out loud but seeing that disgust shattered with little of a heart he had left.

_**/**_

She knew exactly why James Wilson had just climbed onto the bar stool next to her.

Deciding to let him sweat a bit, Cameron continued eating her turkey burger and chili cheese fries, her once weekly splurge of junk food. After the restaurant, she had gone home and drank every bit of alcohol she could find. It was a self pitying drunkenness but also a turning point. Although she should've known better than to put herself out there so blatantly, she had done it anyway and lost the gamble.

She had also lost the motivation to fight for more with House. He obviously didn't want her and even if he did, he was too much of a coward to do anything about it. Fine. She was done. In that "Doneness", she had taken the freed up Head of Immunology position and moved to the other side of PPTH, far away from Diagnostics and him. Other than cases, she didn't bother to seek him out and when he went on one of his downward spirals, she didn't run to his side and even worry about him. Let the others do it. Let Stacy or Cuddy or some other sap fall in love with Greg House and be dragged over nails for it.

And she had started dating again. There were no excuses not to anymore. All of them were with House and she was absolutely, positively done with him.

She wasn't _**over**_ him, not by any stretch of the imagination, but she wasn't going to pine for him…or be guilted back into the line of fire.

"Say your piece, Wilson. I'd like to head home soon." she urged flatly before taking a sip of her iced tea.

"He's miserable."

"He's House."

"He misses you."

"He misses his punching bag. Tell Chase to dye his hair and he'll get over it."

"He _**loves**_ you, Allison. Can you see that? He needs you…"

His words were cut off by her cold laugh.

"All that man loves is himself and his drugs. He manipulates and breaks people down to dust. I'm done letting him and you'd be much better off if you did the same. You're a good person, James. I'd hate to see House destroy that."

"Like he's done to you." Wilson spat icily before slamming his shot glass down and leaving.

Cameron watched him and turned away with a shrug, continuing her meal. Let him think what he wanted. He wasn't alone. Everyone blamed her for House's increasingly volatile behavior and obvious depression. Chase and Foreman pleaded with her to fix whatever happened but she refused, citing that the problem was House himself and nothing, short of "divine" intervention or an overdose would fix it. He wasn't her problem anymore…

Lies. All frosty, brave, logical lies.

Little did she know that soon, those lies would fall in the face of the his next actions.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Okay, it's on. Thank you for your positive responses and I hope that this fic will meet or exceed your expectations. I'm not too keen on writing Ice Queen Cameron but I'll keep at it until someone tells me to tone it down. She **_**will**_** become her Camerony self again later on but improved like she is in my other stories. And I have used a staple fanfic cliché. Hopefully the CMW2 spin on it will make it a little different than the rest but still, it's a cliché. **

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

She hated it when it rained.

Bad things always happened when it rained. Her beloved grandmother had died in a car crash during a fall rainstorm. She had been stood up for the Prom during a summer storm(she had gone anyway, soaked but determined to have a good time) and she had learned that her husband's years left had been scrapped down to days during a horrible, torrential, howling tempest like the one outside right now.

When she came into the hospital, Cameron could feel that dread, the dread that always came true in the most horrible ways. She could also feel her imprisoned heart urge her to go find him, to talk to him, and to make sure that he was okay. Wilson's words had revived it somewhat but she was determined to ignore it. It was all its weak, stupid fault that she ended up hurting so much anyway. Listening to it had resulted in becoming an emotional whipping boy for House and becoming a laughingstock in everyone's eyes after that damned Date.

Her heart only caused trouble and unnecessary pain.

So, she sat in her office, sifting through her email and drafting her next article, determined to ignore anything and everything that didn't have to do with…

Her pager went off and the intercom summoned her to the ER stat, making her frown but stand up. What was going on? All of her patients were stable and her most severe one had gone home healed the evening before. Had he relapsed? Her steps became faster at the thought and she walked quickly down the stairs, her heels loud in the eerily silent hospital.

Wilson was standing outside the ER with the others, soaked and splattered with…blood? Why was Wilson splattered with blood? Whose blood was it? Why was Cuddy crying and Chase and Foreman trying and failing not to?

The cold glare that he gave her answered her questions

"Are you happy now?" he asked through barely suppressed tears. "I found him outside his building…they're not sure that he's even going to make it..."

"So, House finally OD'ed and passed out outside his building. How is that my fault?" she cut off with a shrug. "Pump his stomach and make him detox like the time he pitched a hissy fit."

The last she expected was Lisa Cuddy to try and slap her but she ducked and moved out of her reach, looking at her incredulously...

"He did it because of you! He overdosed on **_purpose_** because of _**you**_!" she sobbed as Foreman held her back.

Her heart yelled in agreement but Cameron choked it into silence as she stared them all down. Were they _**still**_ on that "House loves you" crap? Life was not a fairy tale and she was not the maiden who could tame the savage beast with love. House loving her was a fantasy and a dead one at that. Ignoring her heart's disagreement, she put her hands on her hips and replied like she was talking to stubborn toddlers.

"Now, look. I know that all of you have some grand delusion in your head that House is actually capable of loving anyone other than a hooker but I can tell you that there is no way in hell that he would try to commit suicide because of me. Gregory House doesn't love, want, or need me. I'm nothing more than a piece of ass looking for a charity case to him. The reason he's in that ER is nothing more than the fact that he's a miserable, drug addicted bastard."

"Then explain this!" Wilson roared as he thrust what looked to be a crumpled piece of sheet music at her.

Turning it over, she saw one line of House's messy scrawl, written with shaky hands and streaked with dried tears.

_**Tell her that I'm sorry…and that I love her.**_

_What more proof do you want, for fuck's sake?_, her heart yelled at her mind. _It's not another game! Would you just go to him? Drop the act and go to him! You don't need it anymore…_

"It's more lies and more manipulative bull. Now, if that's all you wanted, then I have a lot of paperwork waiting for me upstairs." she dismissed while throwing the scrap to the floor and leaving.

Cameron could hear Cuddy's sobs resume and she ignored the yells after her, calling her a "heartless little bitch" and demanding that she go and actually look at him and see if it was "bull" or not.

She wouldn't…she _**couldn't**_. She wasn't going to get sucked back into the black hole that was Gregory House. The hurt had been too much last time.

She wouldn't survive it again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: This late night fit of Hameron productivity is brought to by the letter G for Green Day. They were a big part of helping me get past my depression (although my big sister claims that their lyrics made it worse sometimes) and tracks from American Idiot always provide a much needed boost to my muses. Plus, it's got just the right amount of emo for me to be very angsty. **

**This chapter is going to go through the various reactions to House's actions and Cameron's (alleged) indifference before going back our sad little ice queen. House's POV will return soon (I never kill anyone off in my fics) and I look forward to getting back into his head.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

That stupid Date had drained her of every ounce of empathy, trust, optimism…all that was left was a shell of the woman that he used to call friend…and the woman that he had fallen in love with. Dr. Robert Chase sat at an unconscious House's bedside, mourning the loss of Allison Cameron.

It was a common lament. Even before she had become the Ice Bitch as the nurses called her, Chase knew that he would never have a shot with her ever. Her heart belonged to House. No matter how much hell he rained down upon her, she still loved him. Well, she had before. Now, Chase wasn't too sure. Nobody was sure about the relationship between them now…

Everyone had expected the Date to fail and had teased her when it did. What had she expected, they all asked. He was House and she was Cameron and they would never work. She deserved it, they said. That was what she got for falling for the bastard in the first place. For that first week, Cameron had winced with each snicker, each whisper, each pitying look…

It was the last time that anyone other than a patient saw any emotion on her face or heard it in her tone. The mask she had formed gave her a detached serenity and her voice was always flatly calm and cool. She didn't smile. She didn't laugh. She didn't even get angry. All she did was work and when she wasn't working, she kept herself at a distance from not just House but everyone else. She was in an icy cocoon and it didn't seem like she was coming out anytime soon…

"House…I know you hate me. The feeling is absolutely mutual but you can't die. You need to wake up and pull yourself together. Everyone's worried about you…even Cameron. She may say and act like she doesn't but she does. You also need to fix whatever the hell you did to her. You… you can't die without fixing it because…she's not Cameron, anymore and I want her back. _**We**_ want her back. You're the only one that can bring her back."

His vitals stabled a bit more, giving Chase hope.

Perhaps House would use his goddamned stubbornness and keep fighting.

Someone had to.

_**/**_

Eric Foreman watched as she went on with her duties, refusing to even look into the room they had moved House to. Cuddy had put him in the Immunology Ward on purpose. She was trying to force a reconciliation between House and Cameron but he didn't have much faith that it would happen. At least, not on their preferred timetable.

Foreman knew that the Ice Bitch was an act. It was to protect her from being hurt again, a mere mask. He knew all about masks. Back home, he had to come up with one to stay alive. Cameron had come up with hers to not only cope with the responsibilities as a department head but to heal from the latest blow that House had unnecessarily given her on that fucking Date.

Nobody knew exactly what happened but it had been bad. Cameron had come into the hospital horribly hung over and had just sat through a Differential, not bothering to contribute. When House had sniped at her, she had just looked at him with dull eyes and walked out, never to work with them again. She had taken over Immunology and had (allegedly) gotten over House.

Obviously, House had not. He still couldn't believe that he had attempted suicide. It was completely un-House like but so was him admitting, even in _**words**_, that he loved someone…

"You're an ass." he started, his usual snipe to the man. "You're an ass and a bastard and just about every negative label I can think of. But, at the end of the day, you're also my friend so that means you can't die. I've lost too many friends to dumb shit like this and Cameron's broken. It's all your fault and you have to wake up and fix it because even though she's a better doctor for it, the Ice Bitch shit's getting old and painful to watch. I want my friend back. We want our Cameron back. Wake up and bring her back."

The man's eyelids twitched and his shallow breathing began to slow, signaling that he had heard and was trying to heal.

Good. Now, that he was getting out of the woods, he would need every second of rest he could get.

Getting through to her would be like slaying a dragon.

_**/**_

"I know you hate flowers but I couldn't bring you a bouquet of Vicodin or a hooker so they'll have to do."

Lisa Cuddy pulled one of his blankets from home over him (Wilson had gone and got it) and she pulled out her light blue iPod, setting it next to the vase of black roses, his favorite.

"I made you a playlist with all the stuff you like on it. Even the Great Jagger. You can listen to it when you wake up but you better not mock my girly iPod color or I'll triple your Clinic hours."

She also pulled some thick thermal socks onto his feet, not wanting them to be cold when he woke and he _**would**_ wake up. He was Gregory House, damn it! He had more lives than a cat and the guy from Friday the 13th combined. Plus, if he died, the hospital would suffer…and Cameron would be numb for the rest of her life.

Lisa swung at her not just for her hateful words but to try and make her show some feeling, any feeling. After that horrible Date, she had shut down and Lisa regretted recommending her for the Immunology spot. Not because she wasn't competent. Oh, no, she was excellent. The department ran like a well oiled machine. But, she should've waited a while. Giving her leadership was a valid excuse for her to become the Ice Bitch. After all a department head had to have some level of ruthlessness in order to keep the position. Now, with the job and the deep emotional wounds, Cameron was a ticking time bomb.

Much like the man lying in the bed. He had been cleaned off and covered with layers of clothes and blankets to fight off the hypothermia. He still looked miserable, even in rest and it broke Lisa's heart. Not too long ago, she had hoped to be the one to break through that misery but now, it was clear that it was Cameron's job and right to do so.

"Greg…I'm probably the last person you want to hear telling you this but I am proud of you. Not for this amazingly stupid thing you've done…no, I'm pissed as hell for it but I'm proud that you've actually admitted your feelings for Cameron. Of course, she doesn't believe you but that can change after you wake up. You get what you want and you want her. It'll be tough but doable…insert leering remark about my breasts here."

The corners of his eyelids twitched but he didn't wake, making her smile sadly...

"You're probably waiting for her to come see you, aren't you? To be blunt, it's going to be a long damn while. I'm probably going to have to force her to take leave and even then…she still loves you. I _**really**_ think she does. She's just scared. You've been a real fucker to her, you know. You probably do know since you did…this."

She took his cool hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Just wake up, okay? We'll deal with the rest later. Just…please don't die, House."

_**/**_

"Just so you know, I blame _**both**_ of you for this mess. You for being such a tool and her for being such an Ice Bitch. You're both idiots and you deserve each other. I…I still can't believe you've done this, House. Okay, yeah I can. To be honest, I always thought you'd eventually attempt or succeed in committing suicide. Ever since your leg…"

Wilson bit back more tears. They wouldn't help right now, anyway. It was all up to House. The drugs and alcohol were out of his system and his temp was back to normal. House had no reason to be unconscious anymore but he was and had been going on 4 days…

"Lisa's forced Cameron to take leave. She was definitely not happy about it but…hey, that's one less excuse to stay away from you. You…you're going to say that I'm girl but I think Cameron's starting to realize that this isn't another one of your harebrained schemes. She's been talking to the police….they destroyed your place, by the way…and the nurses tell me that she's following your progress. Chase even saw her wiping away a couple of tears, which is _**huge.**_ I don't know if she'll come see you but I hope she does. And I hope you don't push her away again."

He scrubbed a hand over his face and winced at the feeling of the beginnings of a beard.

"I probably look like the Mad Bomber in a bad tie. If you wake up, you can laugh at me… but you're not going to wake up until Cameron shows up. Nice tactic. I hope it works. You have got your work cut out for you, man but if anyone can get through to her, it's you. Not only because she's the way she is mainly because of you but also because you love her."

His pager went off and he squeezed his hand before hurrying out, not noticing the woman hiding in the shadows.

_**/**_

The ice had cracked.

It wasn't a very deep crack but it was big enough that she had finally listened to her heart's urgings and came to see him. His hair was longer and more grey than brown. He seemed even leaner than before and his scuff was now a light beard. Sitting in the empty chair next to his bed, Cameron gently twined her fingers with his.

"I never thought that it would be possible to hate someone and love them at the same time until I met you. Now, keep in mind that I still think that somewhere, somehow that this is yet another one of your manipulations but…I couldn't not visit you. Cuddy made me go on leave and put you smack dab in the middle of my department, which sucks. After all, all the things that are wrong with you have absolutely nothing to do with your immune system. You're taking a bed from someone who really needs it, you jerk."

Her other hand ghosted across his brow and the crack grew deeper, causing a bit of worry to seep into her next words as she looked anywhere but at him.

"What the hell were you thinking? Why couldn't you just be honest with me in the first damn place? You didn't have to try and off yourself. And then…your note…I don't know if you mean it or not. You've done things like that and I'm always the kid that'll look for the bug and get flicked in the nose for it. I don't want to believe you because that'll just open me up to get hurt by you once again. You'll call me names or make completely incorrect assumptions about my character or you'll just go off and fuck a hooker…or Stacy…or Cuddy and .I…I can't. I _**can't**_ believe you when you say that you love me. You've made it impossible for me to take anything you say at face value. _**Everybody**_ lies, House and that includes you."

Silence.

"I'll come see you when you wake up. Not immediately but…yeah." she ended lamely as she hurried out.

If she had bothered to look him in the eye during her rant, she would've seen two slivers of sky blue watching her with tears silently pouring out of them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: All right, you guys. Here's the penultimate chapter of this angsty little ditty. It's long (that's what she said) and things will start to get back to normal for our heroes. Well, a new normal and this will be the offical death of Ice Queen Cameron. The next chapter will be lighter and will have my usual House/Cameron smexiness. **

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

If it weren't for the tall walls with barbed wire, he would swear that he was sitting in a park or on a college campus.

It had been 8 months, 3 weeks, and 5 days since he had woken up from his suicide attempt. It had been 8 months, 3 weeks, and 5 days since he had been in Princeton. It had been 8 months, 3 weeks, and 5 days since he began his "extended sabbatical" from Diagnostics and medicine in general.

It had been 8 months, 3 weeks, and 5 days since he had seen Allison Cameron.

House was now a resident (patient) of Sunburst Mental Hospital in sunny North Carolina. He was clean and sober and much less miserable than he had been. He was still a bastard but a softer one, a tolerable one. He had gained the weight he lost back and now, his hair hung in his eyes like during his teen years, more grey than brown to match his scruff. Sunburst allowed their residents to wear normal clothes but he had taken a liking to the grey cotton pants and going barefoot. He still had his band shirts, though. Wilson sent him new ones every week, along with letters updating him on everyone back home.

He and Cuddy had gotten together (surprise…not!) and they were expecting a little girl in 3 months. He hoped that Jimmy didn't ask her to marry him. because then, they'd break up and put the poor little parasite in the middle.

Foreman had taken over the leadership of the department but he refused to take House's name off of the door or even use his desk. He was just keeping it all warm for him, he said. Although it would be a while before he'd be able to say it out loud, House really did appreciate the gesture.

Chase had moved back to the Land Down Under and was making a name for himself as a surgeon. Good. The little wombat sucked at Diagnostics, anyway…

Cameron was still at PPTH and still the Ice Bitch but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been. The Immunology department was the best in North America now and her articles and cases had made her _**The**_ Allison Cameron. She would cure you and even if she didn't, she would fight like hell with you until the end.

And she had stopped dating.

She hadn't visited him yet but she had sent him an acoustic guitar and a book on how to paint for Christmas, both of which occupied his mind. He still missed her though…and he still loved her.

The note hadn't been a ploy. After her dismissal, he had gone into a very dark place and the next thing he knew, he had gone through an entire bottle of pills and scotch. As a doctor, he had known that both of those thing plus inclement weather meant death. As a heartbroken and guilt ridden son of a bitch, it had been the right thing to do. If he had hurt Cameron enough to break, then he was the modern day equivalent of Nero the Roman emperor: a self absorbed, arrogant monster that needed to die sooner rather than later.

Piecing together the last of his will, he had found a pen and the nearest piece of paper wanting to let out what he had been denying so he could die in some form of peace before going to Hell. After getting the words out, he had laid down on the ground and waited for death to take him out of the cold rain.

But, he had lived. He hadn't wanted to at the time but he had and hearing her say that she couldn't believe him and didn't want to hurt but also gave him a little hope.

Cameron never said that she _**didn't**_ believe him and she didn't say that she _**didn't**_ love him back. She said that she hated and loved him at the same time, which still sucked but was totally understandable…

"Gregory?"

He looked up at Mabel. She was a kind black orderly and had taken a liking to him. She was his champion during the physical therapy and she snuck him extra peanut butter cookies when she had the lunch rotation.

"I brought you a visitor, hon."

When she stepped aside, House found himself looking at the woman he had just been thinking about.

Thankfully, nearly all the frost was gone from her eyes.

_**/**_

There wasn't much ice left, maybe enough to chill a mojito or to make an icepack. The glacier she had hidden behind had melted away as time went on.

The steely "get shit done" spine was there and she still had her sharpened skills as a doctor but she no longer sought to be numb and aloof from the world. Her heart was still weak but she no longer deemed it stupid. The months of being separated from him had proved it to be very insightful. It had helped her figure some important things out and act accordingly.

For one thing, House really _**did**_ love her. He had gone to his apartment and in the wreckage, she had found an old cigar box. Opening it, she had found her resume, her official picture for PPTH, the draft to the article that Foreman had stolen…and the corsage she had abandoned at the restaurant. Coupled with the scrap and his actions in light of that hateful little glance she had given him…she really didn't have any choice but to believe him.

She had been the one to find Sunburst and was footing the bill for it…not that she'd ever tell him that.

For another thing, she loved him too. It wasn't a big revelation but it was enough to shatter the glacier. All of the emotions that she had brutally suppressed and ignored surged out one night after House had been gone for a month and she had been inconsolable for a week. Her breakdown had been when she went to ask Foreman for a consult and although it had been humiliating at the time, it had been a cry for help.

The others had accepted her back into the fold and slowly but surely pieced her back together, making her better than she had been before.

Her heart had made her brave enough to send the guitar and the book on how to paint. Judging from the streaks of color under his nails and the small cuts at his fingertips, he used both religiously, pleasing her.

Her heart had made it okay to laugh again, to cry and to care about more than the job.

Most of all, her heart had given her the bravery she needed to trek down here and finally visit. He looked…amazing. The sun and the detox had done wonders for him and his big blue eyes actually held something other than misery and woe. They actually looked kind of peaceful. And she just wanted to bury her fingers in his thick way hair. He had wavy hair! She **_loved_** wavy haired men…

The silence stretched on for a moment longer but as always, he broke it.

"Is that my helmet?"

Sheepishly, she took it off of her head and set in the soft grass as she sat down next to him under the tree, her hair taking flight in the breeze. She took off her loafers and stretched out her bare feet. Sitting on a motorcycle for extending periods of time really played hell on a girl's legs, especially if she's in a long purple sundress dress. Although, the appreciative glances he gave her were worth it…

"I've been taking care of your motorcycle. I rode down here on it."

"I thought you hated motorcycles."

"I never said that. You assumed that." she brought out flatly.

He winced at the tone and another cube melted. House didn't used to care about her opinion of him…

"I did that a lot. I was wrong. I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break you. Okay, yeah I did but not as badly as I ended up doing. I just wanted you to see reason. I mean, what can I give you? I'm not a drug addict anymore but I'm still miserable and I'm still a bastard and I'm still damned near twice your age…and…I'm still damaged. You deserve better than me. You deserve as close to perfection as we pathetic monkeys known as humans can get.", he admitted in a small voice, looking at her with genuine puppy eyes.

And with that, the ice melted and the Queen was banished to the far back of her mind. She'd keep her around to deal with irate patients and the Board but she was no longer needed for dealing with House…**_Greg_**.

"That may be true but I want you. I…love you. There, I said it! Take **_that_**, Wilson!" she replied triumphantly before pouting slightly.

Greg laughed ruefully and quipped, "Welcome to my adult life. The man's got a knack for sussing out people's insecurities and never letting shit go."

"And for being right. So, I hear that they're letting you go home soon."

"Mm. I'm as rehabilitated as I'm going to get, apparently...and I'm actually ready to come home. After all, if anyone's going to kick Kunta Kente out of my office, I want it to be me."

She lightly punched his arm and he grinned wolfishly as she sucked a couple knuckles into her mouth, looking at him with mock reproach.

"I see you've gotten acquainted with my biceps of steel. There's not much to do around here except for sleeping, eating, arts and crafts, and working out. Oh, and the usual freebasing of anti-depressants but mostly working out. Wait'll you get a load of the whole package."

A sex kitten smile made heat rush immediately to his groin, as did her tender kiss. It was short, sweet, and perfect to him...just like her.

"I look forward to it.", she cooed before signaling to Mabel that she wanted to leave.

He watched as she retreated until she disappeared through the courtyard door and he lay back in the grass with a stupid smile on his face as he lightly traced his swelling lips.

He couldn't wait to get back home to her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Thank for indulging me in my emoness. Although, it was a bit of a challenge to bring Cameron and House back into some form of their characters, I am very satisfied in how **_**Ice**_** has turned out. There may be some companion pieces or even a sequel (one of those fill in the blank whatsits) later on this year or early in the next. I don't know yet.**

**I do know that I've appreciated all the reviews, alerts, and favs and I thank you all very much for reading. Another Update on **_**Mosh Pit**_** will be soon. I have to go out of town this weekend so I'm going to be mostly off the grid unless my insomnia rears its ugly head again. Thanks for reading. ~*CMW2*~**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

PPTH hadn't changed much. The walls had been repainted and a better wood polish was used but it was typically the same hospital he had left behind.

It was him that was different. His cane was gone. His Vicodin bottle was gone and his misery was 90% gone. Since nobody accosted him immediately with Welcome Backs, House figured that nobody recognized him. Hell, he barely recognized himself half of the time.

He had kept his hair long (because she liked it) but had shaved off the scruff, cutting about 5 years off of his appearance. The tan was permanent and made his eyes "pop", as numerous frou-frou stylists would gush. He had on a black Oxford, jeans, and sandals…sandals! With the paint stained guitar on his back and duffel in his hand, he looked more like a hippie than a reformed (mostly) misanthrope.

Plus, he was _**ripped**_. He hadn't been bullshitting when he told her that working out was one of the few viable activities at Sunburst. Greg was in better shape now than when he had been in college. He was no Governator in his prime but still…he looked pretty damn sexy for an old guy.

He collided with a strutting someone and her charts hit the floor with a loud clatter...

"Crap…sorry for running into- _**hey!**_" she laughed before nearly knocking him over in a hug.

Cameron. It felt pretty right that the first person that he'd run into would be her. Greg accepted and matched her tight embrace and he took a good look at her as she pulled away. White lab coat, white cap sleeved blouse, black vest, long grey slacks…and a pair of bright blue 3 inch fuck me heels that looked suspiciously like his eye color. Her hair was still long, still curly, and his hands still itched to touch it. This time, she was smiling and obviously happy to see him.

She used his guitar strap to bring him into a devastating kiss and he smiled against her mouth as he hitched her leg up against his hip, twining his tongue with hers slowly...

_**Very**_ happy to see him, although that was nothing compared to the fierce joy in his chest. Damn, he had missed her…

"_Hi_.", she sighed happily as she rested her head on his chest. "When'd you get back? _**How'd**_ you get back?"

"I took a train and I got a rental badass mustang this morning. I'm probably going to buy it off of them. You look good. Happy."

"..and non Ice Bitchy. Come on, I'll buy you a Reuben if you buy me an apple juice."

"Deal.", he agreed while offering her his free hand.

She accepted it gracefully and led him through the now buzzing and gawking lobby. Dr. House was back? Look at his hair! Where's his cane? Is that a guitar? He looked 100% different! And was he just kissing Dr. Cameron? When had _**that**_ happened? Damn, he looked hot. Damn, she looked hot. They looked hot together. Wait'll Wilson gets a load of this! You owe me 50 bucks, jackass…

It was good to be back.

_**/**_

Wilson found them in the cafeteria, sharing a Reuben and Cameron holding his guitar, slowly plucking out a scale with his help.

If it weren't for the pickles defiantly sticking to the ceiling and wall, he would swear that the man next to her wasn't his longtime friend. House didn't smile or shave or grow his hair out and he certainly didn't paint but apparently, he did all of those things. And the smile on Cameron's face could've lit Times Square for the rest of the decade.

It was damn nice to see that some good had finally come out of all that mayhem between them.

"Jimmy…how's Medusa and the Hellspawn?" he greeted cheerfully as Cameron started to get it.

He snorted and replied, "They're fine, House. I'm glad you're home, man. When are you coming back to work?"

"Soon. I need to get settled back in before I can even think about that."

She finally got the scale and House kissed her left cheek gently in reward, making both turn a becoming shade of pink. Wilson smiled at the sight and popped a French fry into his mouth.

"I have to get used to you being emotionally stable and demonstrative. I _**like**_ it but…" Cameron said quietly.

"…it's disconcerting. Don't worry, Allie, I'm still the asshole you fell for. Just not as bad of one. Where's your woman, Jimmy? I got almost a year of sexual harassment to make up for."

Wilson laughed and stole the least damaged part of the sandwich before replying, "She's in her office with Foreman."

"Ooh, so you all are going the threesome route. I like it. Feel like making it an orgy?" Cameron teased, shocking both men into silence and him into choking.

"Well, I…er, you…" Wilson sputtered.

House's jaw moved back into place and a broad, predatory grin lit up his face as she giggled behind her hand.

"Woman, you've gotten pervy on me…I _**like**_ it!" he growled before heading towards the office.

Cameron delicately took the piece of Reuben out of his hand and popped it into her own mouth before leaving, House's guitar on her back…

… and the bill on his dime. Wilson shook his head fondly and pulled out his wallet. Some things never changed.

_**/**_

"Lu-cy, I'm _**home!**_ Ah, wait, you're expecting? Were you babalooing the black man while I was gone or is Ethel a man like I've always suspected?"

Instead of banishing him to the Clinic or yelling, Cuddles quickly step/waddled over and nearly broke him in two in a hug, surprising but pleasing him.

"Welcome home, you jackass." she greeted with a broad grin. "You look great…although, cherry blossom is definitely not your color."

House wiped Cameron's lip gloss off with the back of his hand and then used it to shake Foreman's.

"Welcome home, House. I take you want your office back?"

"Damn right, I do but not yet." he replied. "I got some catching up to do with a hot Immunologist. And by catching up, I mean…"

He made a lewd gesture with his hand and waggled his eyebrows.

"You're an ass." Foreman groaned before walking out in an indignant huff.

"I've missed making him do that. So, seriously, how are you and the Spawn of the Philanderer?" he asked while plopping down on her couch.

Jimmy had appointed him Godfather (despite the whole atheist thing) so it was his duty to make sure that the parasite and its host was in tip top shape. She looked zesty, even with the baby bump and was all glowy and happy and pregnant-like.

"We're fine. You wanna see the latest sonogram?" she asked shyly.

House nodded and gently accepted the black and white photo. It looked like an alien but a damned cute one…

"I hope she doesn't get her dad's eyebrows. They won't go too well with mommy's funbags." he leered.

Cuddles sighed and shook her head with exasperation as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"And to think I actually missed that. Don't you have to go and sexually harass Cameron? She's your girl now."

'That may be true but you're always gonna be my Mistress." he replied while hugging her again.

"Aww...now get! I have work to do!", she ordered while pushing at his shoulders.

An appreciative gleam entered her eyes as she tested the firmness and he smirked.

"If you wait a bit, you can see the spread in Playgirl. I look pretty good naked, you know…"

Even as she chased him out with a clipboard raised above her head, a smile lingered on his face.

He was home.

_**/**_

She had no logical reason to be nervous.

He wanted her, he loved her, and not to sound too arrogant but she was phenomenal in bed. She could make a stoically sexy 25 year old language TA (it was college and she hadn't met Brain yet) scream bloody murder and beg her in French so making it good with House should be cake, especially with all their chemistry...

Oh god, she was going to die!

She sat in what was her bed now, waiting for him to come out of the bathroom. She had moved into his apartment to take care of it and never left. When her lease ran out, she never bothered to renew and got everything but the furniture (including the treadmill) out and into his. The place was still a man cave (a cleaner man cave) but it had just the right amount of femininity. And he hadn't kicked her out yet so…yeah.

After he had declared his intentions to take a shower in his own bathroom without burly orderlies checking him out, she had dug out an old Victoria's Secret bag and pulled out the nightgown. She had bought it on a whim and it was very pretty. It was red with tiny little silver dragonflies on the thigh length hem. Allison had never worn it before but it seemed to be appropriate now.

After all, if she were honest with herself (something that she had taken to doing more often), then she had bought it to wear for Greg. His favorite color was red…

The bathroom door opened and he joined on the bed in nothing but a pair of slightly baggy red flannel pajamas. Good god, he hadn't been kidding when he said that working out was a big part of Rehab. Every single muscle was defined but he was still lean and long in the way she liked. There wasn't an ounce of fat on him and he had an all over tan from the North Carolina sun. Without thinking, she put him on his back and straddled him, running her fingertips over the cobblestone like ridges on his abdomen.

To her surprise (and amusement), he bit back a laugh. He was ticklish. The Great Grumpy Gregory House was ticklish. The irony was awesome…

"I like this…" he commented while toying with the lace trim around her breasts.

"I bought it for you a long time ago. I never thought I'd get to wear it…"

His hands gently spanned her waist and reversed their positions. She brushed his hair out of his eyes and he pressed tender, open mouthed kisses to her clavicle, a silent apology. Allison wrapped her legs firmly around his hips and drew him as close as their clothed bodies could get, a silent acceptance.

It also rid either one of any shyness they had. Hands explored each other's bodies with lips not too far behind and Allison shivered as his fingertips touched her for the first time, coating them with a light glaze of her juices. Greg moaned as he sucked them clean, declaring her the best he had ever tasted. She tilted her hips up in a blatant offer (and plea) for more and he hiked up her gown enough to reveal the source.

Her head swam as his tongue twined against her and she whimpered as first one, then two fingers slid into her, brushing against her spot expertly. She cried out as her climax took her and he slid the gown over her head, leaving her naked and wanting on the bed.

"Do you want to stop?" he asked as her head cleared.

She shook her head no but he held off her hands from removing his pants.

"Say it."

"I don't want to stop. Please, Greg…I want you in me. I _**need **_you in me…"

He removed his pants himself and she pulled into a deep kiss, tasting herself on his tongue. A large hand went to her behind and lifted her up and then onto his throbbing cock, making them both scream in pleasure and relief. Finally…oh, god…_**finally**_…

"I love you." he whispered into her hair as their pace became less controlled and more instinctual.

Both of their bodies were yelling for release and since it had been so long, it didn't take long for both of them to shatter, their yells loud and bawdy and absolutely perfect…

Her head hit the pillow with a thump and she shivered as he buried her face in her shoulder, panting quietly for air as she pulled the bedding over their hips. Her fingers traced up and down his spine and he nuzzled her gently.

"I really do love you. It wasn't the sex talking. Although…damn, woman…where'd you learn to do stuff like that?"

"Instinct and the internet. And you're nothing to scoff at either. I'm vibrating all over."

He let out a pleased moan and replied, "You really are" as he resumed moving inside her gently.

As his mouth returned to her nipples, Allison let the warmth flow through her and she smiled.

She finally had her man.

**FIN.**


End file.
